Apparently it is too hard for real estate agents to tell the truth…or so their representative body is telling us all:

Real estate agents are opposing changes to consumer laws that would require them to tell the truth about properties.

The Real Estate Institute of New Zealand is taking issue with changes that would make it illegal for agents to make unsubstantiated claims, saying the changes could open “floodgates of complaints”.

The proposed change does not require absolute truth, but it does require that when a representation is made to a consumer, the seller should have “reasonable grounds” for believing it is true.

A submission to Parliament by REINZ chief executive Helen O’Sullivan said the Consumer Law Reform Bill could cause confusion, rather than protect consumers.

She said it was too onerous for real estate agents to have to substantiate their statements at the time of making them.

And they wonder why real estate agents are held in the same regard as used car salesmen and politicians? I mean really?

One of my best mates is a real estate agent and he does tell the truth, and as a result he has lost sales…but he is straight up…perhaps he could have a chat the Chief Executive and tell her to pull her head in?

The other day a Young Nat sent me an email, all conspiratorial, suggesting that Martyn Bradbury was quitting politics to become a real estate agent.

He wasn’t the sharpest crayon in the box and I pointed out that Scott Yorke was just sledging Martyn Bradbury for being a cocksmoker….and that it had started a blog war that was funny, at the very least, to watch unfold.

Now however, some wag has put up a new website that suggests that Martyn Bradbury is indeed going into real estate.

Now, at this point I have to declare that it is not me…just like Scott Yorke and Keeping Stock. This is going to be a little like name suppression for All Blacks…everyone is going to wonder who it is and so I am declaring that it wasn’t me so no suspicion falls on me.

Nonetheless it is bloody funny and so all right thinking bloggers should link to the site on Martyn Bradbury‘s name…it really should be number one in Google. I will at least take responsibility for that.